Muret (MURETUS), MARC ANTOINE

Muret (MURETUS), MARC ANTOINE, a celebrated humanist, was born at Muret, near Limoges, 12th April 1526. In early life in France he read lectures on civil law with great success, but subsequently in Italy he seems to have devoted himself entirely to literature till 1576, when he took orders. He afterwards resided in Rome till his death, 4th June 1585. His well-known Orations, though shallow, are remarkable examples of elocution in the style of Cicero. His poems, Latin and French, though graceful and fluent, are now considered worthless; but his learned criticisms and commentaries, Variae Lectiones, in 5 books, are held in great estimation. There are editions of his works by Ruhnken (1789) and Frotscher (1834-41), and 2 vols. of Scripta Selecta (1871-73) by Frey. See also the monograph by Dejob (Paris, 1881).